31 January 2013

A new year is upon us and the first month is already over how has your 2013 been so far? I feel like 2013 hasn't really started for me yet as I'm still feeling the effects of 2012, I haven't even thought about what I'd like to accomplish this year! I am slowly starting to get into the right frame of mind as there's so much great advice out there so check out these links for some inspiration.

♥Superfoods - I haven't been as healthy as I've wanted to this month but I've decided that February I'm going to get back on the health train so I will definitely be trying these out!

♥Candid Thoughts On Ethically Produced Clothing - This is definitely something that has been on my mind for a few years now and one of the reasons I've changed my shopping habits. I love supporting independent and handmade designers even if they cost slightly more especially because I'm part of that community and the fact that bigger brands are starting to make that change to is amazing!

♥Buy Nothing New For A Month - Sometimes I feel like I want to throw out everything I own and just live clutter free so I'm loving these tips although some of them are only relevant to Austraila I'm sure we can all take something useful away from it.

♥How To Optimize Your Instagram - I've been kinda confused about what to do with my Instagram (and Facebook) lately after all the "changes" they announced so these tips offer up some great advice for creating a place that's interesting and appealing.

♥The Art Of Being Happily Single - If you find yourself celebrating another Valentine's Day along then do not be sad being single is one of the best things in the world so make the most of it and celebrate you!

28 January 2013

One of the biggest lessons I've learnt this month is that every so often I need to give myself a time out, shut myself off from the word and just enjoy some unadulterated me time. There's nothing quite like time to yourself to just read a good book or watch some TV or partake in some fun gaming time so I thought I would share a few of the different things I've been relaxing to and enjoying this month.

This has been sitting in my "to read" pile since September and I've only recently had the time to sit down and enjoy it and boy did I enjoy it! Batwoman is such an amazing character and this story just broke my heart it's so emotional. The artwork is amazing I love how disjointed and manic the frames are for Batwoman in costume compared to when she's out of costume and the subtle use of sepia tones to represent the flashbacks. This is definitely one of the best graphic novels I've read in a while so I totally recommend it!

I can't believe I've waited until now to watch this especially now it's ending (booooo!). Breaking Bad is one of those shows that seemed to escape my radar for a long time but after hearing so many people sing it's praises I gave it a try and I LOVE it, it's hilarious, heartbreaking, exciting and introspective all at the same time, I highly recommend this to anyone but just be warned it's more addictive than meth!

I've been blessed with naturally long lashes but sometimes I need a little help making them look fuller and this mascara works an absolute treat. I've had this sitting in a drawer for months now but only recently started using it and it has quickly become one of my faves, I use it almost daily! What I love the most about it is that it has a lot of fibres which will give you a fuller look and the brush is so soft yet full and does a great job at keeping my lashes separate giving that extra full effect, amazing!

iTunes recently had the first chapter of this game for free so I decided after hearing the amazing reviews it got to give it a try and now I understand the hype. I love these sort of games which don't follow a linear path but take into account the decisions you make and completely immerse you into the game, if fact when I first played it I got so immersed into the game that I nearly had a panic attack when that first zombie came after me! I haven't played too much of the game yet but so far I love it, the storyline is so awesome that you are almost literally living out an episode of the show and I love that they included one of my favourite characters Glen into the game. I can't wait to see how my journey ends although I'm trying to take my time with this one as I just don't want it to end, but the great thing is that one difference decision can affect the whole game so it's definitely got that re-playable factor! Have any of you guys played it yet? What do you think?

25 January 2013

Valentine's Day is a great excuse to cover yourself in all things heart shaped and I'm absolutely loving all the gorgeous love themed items being sold in stores. I've been on the hunt for a great red dress for a long time and after browsing so many I thought why not put together some outfit ideas as red dresses are perfect for a Valentine's Day date.

♥Red Heart Skater Back Dress - I adore the heart cut-out in this dress and the cut of is is so feminine and flattering, this dress would certainly get a few loving stares!

♥MAC Russian Red Lipstick - This is one of my absolute favourite MAC lipsticks and there's nothing sexier than a glossy red lip

♥Me & Zena Bow Heart Locket Necklace - Lockets are such a classic Valentine's Day gift and I kinda love the fact that they're sweets engraved into the inside of this one, perfect for a candy addict!

♥Cream and Pink Mini Hearts Jumper - This was too cute for me not to include and after all it has been snowing this week! The diamond stud detail is such an adorable little addition, you'll definitely look hugable in this.

20 January 2013

My dreams finally came true when The Cambridge Satchel Company added this amazing metallic blue design to their store, and after YEARS of wanting one in electric blue I thought what better way to start 2013 than with another satchel.

There wasn't an embossing option available for this one (booo!) but it did mean I didn't have to wait too long for it (YEY!). I placed the order on January 1st and it arrived on my doorstep on the 4th, which is probably the fastest a satchel has ever arrived to me as previously I've had to wait a lot longer!

I kinda love the fact that they come in their own dust bags now, I only wish that I had a couple more for my other satchels as they're really useful for storage and preventing damage when travelling because I pretty much take my satchels everywhere with me.

I'm so proud that this little company has grown into this worldwide phenomenon, when the Google advert came out I was flooded with comments from friends and family about how they just saw the "Cate Satchels" on TV, they've pretty much become my signature and I'm not exaggerating when I say I use them everyday!

So when I say these satchels have become a part of me I really mean it as there's so many happy memories and sentiment attached to each one them, so much so that I was brought to happy tears recently whilst cleaning my purple satchel as some sand fell out of it no doubt from my trip to the beach with my dog last summer... happy times ❤

I've already gushed about how amazing the quality is and how great the service is before and nothing has changed on that part so all I will say is that I can't wait to create more amazing memories with my new satchel as these babies are going to be with me for many years and many more adventures!

10 January 2013

Earlier in December Instagram released their new terms of service stating that they had the right to sell your photos to advertisers and after huge backlash from users quickly retracted this statement but was it too little to late?

This whole event got me thinking about my own online presence and that maybe I needed to make a few changes to the places I hangout and the things I post. When the news first broke about Instagram selling your photos my first thought wasn't how dare they sell what's mine but what if they take a photo of one of my friends or family and use them in some random campaign, I didn't want to be the one responsible for my dad being the face of viagra or my friends being used for some sort of weigh loss product.

I must admit I am generally careful of what I do and don't post online but sometimes I forget and push that send button without a second thought, I pretty much shared my whole summer in Thailand via Instagram but looking back on some of those photos made me think that perhaps I should have kept them private.

For me this whole Instagram debate became something more than some company stealing and selling my photos it was a wake-up call that made me wonder if maybe the all the things I'm posting online could be used and viewed in ways I don't want them to be and so I made the decision to delete my gallery.

Following that decision I went through my whole Flickr account (aka 5 years of my life!) and made private any photo which I didn't want compromised, so any photos of my family or friends and any photo which could potentially jeopardize our safety like photos of my nephew's school, work, house etc...

In the early days of the internet we were constantly warned against posting personal things online and sharing our pictures with anyone because it was a place full of stalkers, weirdos and paedophiles and now it's become the complete opposite with the most popular sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram encouraging us to share every thought, moment and coffee drank with the world. That image of the internet being a place for "weirdos" has almost been forgot and whilst yes the internet is not full of people wanting to chop your head off and play with your blood we still should exercise some sort of caution about the things we do post online and take a moment to think before we push that send button.

Will I continue to use Instagram? Well I thought long and hard about it and yes, I love the community and it's an awesome place for promotion especially for those of us with small businesses but I will definitely be more careful and selective of the things I post on there and other sites.

What are your thoughts on this subject? Has this news affected how you use Instagram or other social media? Be sure to share in the comments as I'd love to hear your opinion.

05 January 2013

The best way to start 2013 is with a project to get those creative juices flowing. You guys know I love crafting so much I've made itmy job and when I'm not busy making stuff for you guys I'm making something for myself, but even if you don't think of yourself as a very "crafty" person these simple tutorials are super easy to follow and fun to do so be sure to check them out.

If you're still curious you can go get yourself a LuckyBag from my Etsy Shop and up until January 25th you can get an extra 25% off any purchase with the code 25DAYS so go take a look as there's so much on offer and a whole bunch of new stuff on the way!

Thank you to everyone for supporting my little business and buying handmade it really means a lot to me.